Like a sweet and sad Ghibli film where the present-day demon is indifference.
Continue readingTag Archives: Japan
Black Box Diaries (2024)
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I don’t think I’ve ever seen a documentary quite like this before, where the subject is the filmmaker and the act of making the film is one of such courage.
Continue readingThe Atomic Tree (VR) (2019)
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A Man (ある男) (2022)
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Maybe I shouldn’t have been surprised/disappointed that a film with this title revolved primarily around the experiences of a group of men.
Continue readingImmersion (きかいじま) (2023)
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Thanks Lowell for telling me to lower my expectations with this Gen Alpha meets ancient Japanese grudges J-horror.
Continue readingCitizen Kitano (Citizen K) (2020)
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I feel a bit ashamed to say that I can’t remember if I’ve ever seen a film by Takeshi Kitano. I feel that surely I have seen Hana-Bi (1998) or Zatoichi (2003) but from the glimpses in this interesting short documentary by Yves Montmayeur, none really stand out.
Continue readingThe Forbidden Play (禁じられた遊び) (2023)
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This is a Japanese horror of Ringu (1998) ilk, all about vengeful wraiths and the monstrousness of female emotions.
Continue readingGhostbook Yokaipedia (Ghost Book Obakezukan) (2022)
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Like a Miyazaki story come to life, with cuteness and soundtrack by Spielberg and a cast from a Japanese staging of The Cursed Child. But don’t let that put you off.
Continue readingMonster (怪物) (2023)
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It’s a pleasure to watch a meticulously crafted film where the story keeps unfolding right up until a transcendental ending.
Continue readingPlan 75 (2022)
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This is a beautiful mood piece that explores what the world might look like if the elderly were no longer valued.
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